Fence-barb.



PATBNTED APR. 5, 1904.

J. H. AKIN.

FENCE BARB.

APPLIUATIOH mum com. a, 1303.

H0 MODEL.

UNTTED STATES Patented. April 5, 1904.

JOHN H. AKIN, OF AMES, IOWA.

FENCE-BARB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 56,313, dated April 5, 1904.

Application filed October 8, 1903.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. AKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ames, in the county of Story and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Barbs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fence construction, and more particularly to a fence-barb which will be found to be useful upon all varieties of wire fences; and it consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be hereinafter clearly set forth.

The prime object of my invention is to provide a simple though reliably efficient form of barb, which will serve its purpose as such upon all varieties of wire fences.

A further object of my invention is to provide a barb which will be found complete in the performance of its office as a fence-barb and at the same time serve the purpose of uniting the main wires of the fence and thesaid wires thereof.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter clearly set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, and in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a panel of a fence with my improved barb secured in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the fence-wires and a stay-wire disposed in cooperation therewith by means of my improved barb. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of my barb, showing the relative position of .the main and stay wires of a fence by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of one portion of my barb separated from the complementary part.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, wherein it will be observed that the same numeral applies to a corresponding part throughout the several views, 1 designates the main wires of the fence, which may be of any desired character or size, while 2 designates the stay or vertical wires disposed in operative relationship to the main wires, as is common,

Serial No. 176,261. (No model.)

the upper and lower ends of the stay-wires being preferably wrapped around the upper and lower main wires, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1, while the intermediate main wires are secured to a contiguous part of the stay-wires by means of my improved barb, which consists of a pair of complementary members 3, which are substantially U-shaped when first formed. Each of the complementary members 3 is entered into engagement with the main and stay wires 1 and 2, respectively, from opposite sides, the one receiving the other and both being disposed in an oppositely oblique plane relative to the plane of the main and stay wiresthat is to say, one of the complementary members 3 is entered from one side of the fence, so that one branch will pass under the main wire and be disposedgupon the left side of the stay-wire, while the other branch of the member 3 will be disposed on the upper side of the main wire and upon the right side of the stay-wire when the free ends 4: thereof are twisted together to insure that they will remain in an adjusted position. Before, however, the said ends are twisted together the complementary member3 is entered in position from the other side of the fence, whereby the bent portion of said member will be between the'branches of its complementary member just entered in place, thus disposing the branches of the second member above and below the main wire and upon each side of the stay-wire, as hereinbefore explained, and after said members are thus entered in position the free ends thereof are twisted together to insure that they will remain securely in place, the free ends 4: of each being left upon opposite sides of the fence and insuring that a resisting-barb will be provided to ward off animals which may attempt to pass through the meshes of the fenceand at the same time insure that the main and stay wires 'will be held in united relationship.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very simple form of barb which may be readily fashioned from a piece of wire, as required, or the complete members 3, which are substantially in the form of a staple before being twisted, may be provided and entered in place from opposite sides of the fence and their free ends twisted together.

It is thought that an ordinary form of fencestaple as now provided may be utilized for this purpose, if desired.

By the combination and construction of parts herein described it will be seen that resisting-barbs of reliable character are provided for each side of the fence, which will be disposed outward in position to present the greatest amount of resistance with the employment of a minimum amount of material.

Believing that the advantages and manner of using my invention have thus been made clearly apparent,further description is deemed unnecessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In fence construction, the combination with the main and stay wires, of substantially U-shaped members 3 arranged in pairs, said members being entered to engage said wires from opposite directions, said members, when so placed, being interlocked, and one prong of one of said members being above the main wire and the other prong thereof passing below the main wire on the opposite side of the stay-wire, the other member 3 being oppositely located upon said wires, whereby when the free ends of said wire are twisted together the main and stay wires will be bound tightly together and a barb formed upon both sides of the fence, substantially as shown and described.

2. In fence construction, the combination with the main and stay wires, of a pair of U- shaped members each disposed in a plane oblique to the plane of the main wire and adapted to receive the intersecting parts of the main and stay wires, said interposed members interlocking each other and said intersecting parts, the outwardly-projecting ends thereof being twisted together to form protecting-barbs as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. AKIN.

Witnesses:

J nssn BENNETT, S. A. KEENAN. 

